Cheap Spanish diesel costs Portugal €200 million in lost tax revenue

A tax fraud involving the sale of Spanish diesel may have cost Portuguese taxpayers as much as €200 million in the past four years.

The estimate is based on an internal document from the Portuguese Association of Oil Companies which outlines tax losses from VAT and ISP on petroleum products.

The Association’s document was distributed to its members in 2017, estimating that about one third of the imports, made by operators not in the Association, are shipped into Portugal by land and not declared to the authorities, a estimated total of 50 million litres per year.

The accumulated loss estimated for non-payment of VAT and ISP is €200 million with importers taking advantage of cheaper Spanish fuel to sell at full rates in Portuguese filling stations. Several 'cheap fuel' filling stations now are under investigation.

The leaked document has caused an immediate reaction from the Association’s general secretary, António Comprido, who said in an interview with RTP that it was "an internal working document that was not disclosed because in many cases mere suspicions, not facts, was recorded but not fully proven."

António Comprido has no reason to downplay the Spanish diesel scam as it represents unfair competition for many of his members.

Comprido believes that over the years there have been many cases of those taking advantage of "the fragility of the legislative system, especially in the delays in acting in non-compliance cases."